[RaceBannon]

Composite glass and Graphite materials are sometimes, most tiems, stronger in tension than steel of any kind, too, that might explain the sheer forces that took off the bolts.

I think I was wrong on the shear numbers, 25,000 pounds shear sound more like it, not 250,000 lb

[Dead Dog]

Figure a good steel is probably about 250 ksi, and I would guess these bots to close to 2 inches in diameter, that would be about 6.28X250ksi which lands us at about 1.5 Million pounds per bolt.

Don't mix up stress capability with load capability. Plus, if they have large cross sectional area changes, they'll pick up stress concentrations.

Plus, the FAA, in their < sarcasim>infinite wisdom < /Sarcasim off> actually instructs mechanics to design mechanically fastened joint repairs to be fastener critical. This is bad for a number of reasons, mainly having the joint "Un-zip".

I wouldn't doubt airbus fallows the same practice...which actually might make sense with composites.